Running large events and conferences takes a lot of time and effort. This undertaking includes choosing the right venue, planning an engaging program, coordinating guest speakers for conferences, and managing conference files and content.
When it comes to guest speakers for conferences, you’ll want to make sure they have everything they need so they can focus on delivering an exceptional presentation. After all, they’re one of the major reasons your audience is attending your event or conference.
Want to learn how to pick the speakers, coordinate their schedules, files, and content, communicate with them before and during conferences, and use tools to handle complex processes? Check out our article below.
Book a Speaker
Guest speakers can make or break your event. That is why you should pick the right guest speakers. There are several factors to consider when calling for speakers. For example, they should have expertise in a field relevant to your conference. Consider the tone of the event and the audience’s needs too, and make sure the guest speaker can fulfill them. You might also want to check their willingness to adapt and modify their presentations based on your needs. Their level of comfort and familiarity with technology is also an important factor.
At the same time, prioritize a diversity of opinions. Having speakers from various backgrounds can give your audience a more comprehensive and meaningful experience. Once you’ve established the types of speakers at conferences you’re looking for and their respective roles, you can begin your search through similar conferences and events, databases, and agencies.
Afterward, check out their work and how they present in front of a large audience. Go through their website, LinkedIn profile, and social media platforms. Speaking to them directly can also give you an idea of how they work and whether you’re a match. By knowing how to call for speakers, you can increase the chances of running a successful event or conference.
Coordinate complex speaker schedules & sessions
Coordinating complex speaker schedules and sessions can be a real challenge. You should have a comprehensive overview, share information and keep it updated, and organize the schedule according to different categories. Moreover, you should coordinate the equipment to be used for the presentation, the transitions that will occur, the availability of space, topics, and speakers.Providing accurate information, like speaker details, agendas, and the conference schedule, is also necessary, especially for attracting attendees. However, another challenge can present as unexpected or last minute changes to any of these details, even during the day of the conference. As a conference planner, you need to be ready to anticipate and accommodate sudden changes in order to update attendees accordingly. s. Otherwise, attendees might back out or miss out on an important session or event.
To avoid upsetting attendees, you should have a clear list of the information you need to coordinate. These include multiple schedules, speaker information, Q&A sessions, materials needed for the presentation, and private sessions to be conducted, including the locations, agendas, and available time slots. Having color-coded calendars can help you get a quick and clear overview of these schedules.
You should also use tools that allow you to filter specific events using particular keywords for increased efficiency. Furthermore, you must be able to share conference schedules that can be easily customized for administrators, speakers, and the audience. This way, organizing the event will be smoother, speakers can easily adjust the session details, and attendees stay updated with any changes.
At Attendee Interactive, managing complex schedules and sessions is made easier with our comprehensive speaker management software. From providing real-time updates to effectively delegating tasks to various event stakeholders, our reliable tools have you covered.
Coordinate speaker assets, files, and presentations
Important files, assets, and content have to be shared with various stakeholders, including the event organizers, speakers, and even the attendees. Failure to coordinate such content well can lead to misinterpretations, extra work, and misunderstandings between parties.
Speakers should be able to provide their own contact information, bios, documents, and headshots, and update their content on a specific-speaker dashboard. This supports active participation, the accuracy of the information, and a more streamlined process. With Attendee Interactive, speakers become more involved as they log in to their portal, upload files, understand their roles, and access the event details.
Sharing certain content with the attendees is important,too. For instance, you can share a link with them, which they can view, but not edit or delete. This way, they can learn more about the event and the speakers, keep track of possible changes, know what to expect, and see how the conference will be valuable to them. To boost engagement, you can also explore new strategies, like conducting live polls and real-time Q&As. By using more innovative tools and techniques, you can plan and execute a successful conference or event.
Communicating with speakers before and during conferences
Communicating with guest speakers before and during a conference or event will help ensure its success. You can set a meeting with them in person and discuss your expectations, the guidelines for the presentation, and other important details. If they’re active on social media, you can ask them to post about the event to attract a wider audience.
When coordinating with multiple speakers, you might encounter several challenges, like schedule conflicts or sudden schedule changes , technical issues, or the lack of contact information. To solve these problems early on, you should create a timetable and give the speakers a preview of the event, including topics and activities.
Provide presentation guidelines, include clear instructions, and test equipment before the event. Moreover, talk to the speakers about different engagement strategies to use, like quizzes and live polls. Plan the Q&A session with your guest speakers as well for smoother flow and better engagement.
Managing payments and invoices
Event speakers can help increase ticket sales and also achieve your organization’s goals. When working with many speakers, compensation can be a challenge, complicated by factors like how much you need to pay, whether you should pay all speakers, what you’ll do if you can only afford a certain amount, and what else you could offer for them to agree to speak.
Various factors are at play. These include the types of speakers at conferences, their credibility, the length of their presentation, how much time they need to prepare before the event, and your budget. For larger events and conferences, speakers get varying speaking fees based on those factors. Moreover, some organizations shoulder travel and accommodation costs. You can also offer membership in the organization. Regardless of the compensation, make sure it matches your speaker’s needs and line of work as well as your organization’s budget.
Find tools to help manage complex processes
Managing complex schedules, payments, content, and files when hosting a large event can be overwhelming. Without the right tools to handle these complex processes effectively, your event risks falling short of expectations — yours, your attendees, and your speakers. . Fortunately, Attendee Interactive is equipped with the best tools to make session and speaker management smoother and easier for you. Our software lets you provide real-time updates, thanks to our Speaker Center web portal that can be easily personalized.
Moreover, the platform allows them to manage their presentation, forms, and other content more independently. Assigning various responsibilities to each important member of the organization or event is also seamless. From gathering speaker forms and creating actionable reports to uploading files and tracking sessions in real time, Attendee Interactive has the best solutions for you.
By using Attendee Interactive’s powerful tools you can save time, stress, and money in the long run.
